Ceremonial Sword, Sheath and Belt of Doge Francesco Morosini, 1689
St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice

Venetian Heritage funded the restoration of some ceremonial objects, part of St Mark’s treasure, donated in 1689 by Pope Alexander VIII Ottoboni to Doge Francesco Morosini. The sword and sheath are made of gilded silver, the former measuring more than five and a half feet in length without the sheath and just under two inches in width. Both sword and sheath have suffered considerable damage and several small parts have been lost. The blade of the sword showed signs of corrosion and the gilded silver had become tarnished. The belt, made of brocade cloth with gold thread and a silver buckle, was marked by the corrosive effects of dust and stains. The sword, sheath, and belt were taken apart and cleaned of all corrosions, and consolidated separately. On the blade, a special protective coating was applied.